Re: Corporate World vs. Small Company: Considerations?

[Brian Gordon <elasticsoul2003 -at- yahoo -dot- ca>]

I've worked for big companies (Nortel, Texas
Instruments, IBM, Amex) and small ones (no point
naming them!). I *much* prefer small, even with the
lower paycheque that generally accompanies it. Some of
my  considerations:

BIG
- Cog in the machine
- Restrictive, often counter-productive policies that
restrict what you can do, when
- Employees considered as liabilities, to be disposed
of when the CEO needs to boost the share price so he
can cash in stocks
+ More $
* Often part of a group (team would be misleading) of
other writers, so you have resources to draw from
+ Opens doors for other jobs when you have a major
corporation on your resume 
+ Bigger budget for tools and training
- Cubes
- Usually rather rigid about working remotely and
other work options (like job sharing, working
part-time for a bit, etc.)
* Career path into management, if you want that



SMALL
+ Part of the team/family (My current company of ~100
has raised over 10K for an employee whose newborn was
diagnosed with leukemia. In a big company, somebody
would have organised a card and bouquet.) 
+ Can't afford to waste talent - more and more open
opportunities for contribution regardless of degrees,
certificates, and other BS
+ Employees considered as assets, to be let go only in
extremis
- Less $
- Often the only writer, so pressure is increased to
know or find out everything yourself
- Doesn't help on resume when applying for other jobs
- Not as much money for tools and training (sometimes
none!)
+ More flexible with working remotely and other
creative solutions
+ Possibility to make big $ if you invest in the
company and it booms. 
* Career path to anywhere if you want to branch out

For me, the choice is small company. They are so much
more human in scale and organization. Yes, I would
like the extra 10-20K, but the trade-off is simply not
worth  it. Then again, I could be living in Phoenix
making more money, paying less taxes, and living in a
luxurious house. Instead, I CHOOSE to live in
Victoria, Canada, struggling to buy a shack. :-) Some
people would say I would have a better quality of life
in Phoenix, because I can afford more material things.
I would say those people have misplaced values. 

I think the definition of bottom line should include
ALL the factors that go into YOUR quality of life, not
just $$. 

My 2c ;-)
Brian

--- "Amy P." <amydetroit -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:

> 
> Hello, all:
> 
> In addition to what I'm finding in the archives, I
> wonder if any of
> you have insights I may not be thinking of in
> deciding whether to
> leave a big company for a smaller one. 
> 
> Money may be the bottom line, but I want to take
> into account the
> working environment, too.  It *seems* so nice to go
> smaller and more
> casual right now.  But corporate obscurity does have
> its benefits.


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